Fast Sunday...

There are times in the mission field that are difficult to say the least.

One is the death of a family member

of one of your missionaries.

This has happened this week.

One of our missionary's father passed away.
They buried him on this Elder's birthday.

Another is the health of our missionaries.

We have had an extreme case where 

one of our missionaries will be sent home

because of health reasons.

This missionary that is leaving is absolutely crushed.

He does not want to go.

We pray that he can head home, get well and return to us.

Obviously disobedience and missionaries choosing to go home

are very sad too.

Thank goodness we haven't had either of these recently.

When President Turk was a Stake President, he had a sad case
of one of the Elders from our stake

that was disobedient and sent home from his mission.

It is the duty of the Stake President to receive the missionary 

at the airport and immediately take proper steps with him.

When President Turk was watching the plane disembark

their was another missionary on that flight

returning after faithfully finishing his two years.

There were many family members and friends with large signs

waiting in anticipation for him.

The signs read "Well Done Elder"

When that Elder got off the plane, cheers erupted and happiness

spread throughout the crowd.

You could feel the love and joy and excitement for this young man.

Then came the Elder off the plane that President Turk went to pick up.

His head was down.  His countenance was dark and sad.

There were no cheers, no excitement and definitely no joy.

He was embarrassed and horrified

at the choices he made to get to this point.

It was an amazing contrast and lesson to this young man

about what really matters and what you have to do every single day

to earn this glorious warm homecoming.

This was a poignant reminder to him of what lies ahead
in the next life if we are not doing what is right
and the consequences that can happen.

We have just finished a mission wide fast today

and have included these Elders in the fast.

Thank you to all of you at home that have added us in your prayers today

and to all our beautiful missionaries past and present

that took part in this fast.

We are looking forward to a great week in the

Perú Trujillo Misión!